Poultry-feeding device.



R. S. G'ITT.

POULTRY FEBDING DEVIGB.

APPLICATION FILED APR Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

ialaew THE MORRIS PETERS COA. PHOTQLITHD.. WASHINGTON. D. C:

ROBERT S. GITT, OF LITTLESTOWN, PENNSYLVANA,

POULTRY-FEEDING DEVICE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. t9, i915.

Application filed April 10, 1914. Serial No. 831,094.

To all whom it muy concern Be it known that I, ROBERT S. Grrr, a citizenof the United States, residing at Littlestown, in the county of Adamsand State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful improvements inPoultry-Feed ing levices, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to poultry feeding devices of that class in whicha hopper is supported at a suitable elevation, said hopper beingprovided with an outlet and with a member supported for vibration withinsaid outlet and extending therethrough, said member constituting anagitator by the action of which the contents of the hopper is assistedto escape through the outlet and on to a deflector carried by saidvibratorv member.

The object of the invention is to simplify and improve the manner ofmounting the deflector of the vibratory member in such a manner that itwill be adjustable with respect to the outlet of the hopper andincapable of being accidentally displaced.

lith this and other ends in view which will readily appear as the natureof the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improvedconstruction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which willbe hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in theclaim.

ln the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that charges, alterations and modifications within the scope of theclaim may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawing,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a poultry feeding deviceconstruced in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a, sectional viewtaken on the line 9]*2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken onthe line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view to illustratethe construction of the bait cage.

Corresponding parts in the several gures are denoted by like charactersof reference. U rEhe hopper or receptacle is mainly of cylindricalshape, but is equipped with a frusto-conical or funnel-shaped bottomportion 16 having an outlet 17. Secured on said bottom portion is anannular cylindrical flange 18 extending downwardly a short distancebelow the mouth or aperture 17 which is surrounded thereby. rlhe hoppercylinder has been shown as being provided with a removable cover 19hai/'ing a handle 20. Said receptacle is also provided with ears 21 forthe attachment of a bail, a portion of which is shown at 22, wherebysaid receptacle may be carried and which may also serve to suspend it ata desired elevation. For convenience the cylindrical body has also beenshown as being equipped with socket members 23 to receive the upper endof the legs or supporting members, partly shown in dotted lines at 24,whereby the device may be supported when preferred.

The hopper is provided with an interior diaphragm 25 which is supportedat the junction of the cylindrical portion and the funnel-shaped bottomportion, said diaphragm having apertures 2G arranged in circumferenitalseries. The diaphragm is also provided with a central aperture 27 forthe passage of the reduced upper extremity 28 of a vibratory rod 29which latter eX tends downwardly through the mouth 17 of the hopper. Theupper end of the rod 29 is screw threaded. as at 30, and said rod isheld in position by means of a key 31 extending transversely through thereduced portion of the rod above the diaphragm.

32 is a frusto-conical defiector which is supported on the rod 29 belowthe mouth of the hopper by means of a nut 33 having threaded engagementwith the threaded portion of the rod, it being understood that the nutis iixedly connected with the defiector so that, as a matter of fact.said deiiector is in threaded engagement with the rod. The deflector isprovided at its lower edge with diametricallv opposite notches 34 forthe reception of the two ends of an arcuate spring 35 which is fixedlyconnected with the rod below the detlector. preferably by extending saidspring through an aperture 36 of said rod. The ends of the springs arebent to form eyes 37 that serve to form handles whereby the said ends ofthe spring may be readily engaged or disengaged from the respectivenotches, said eyes serving also to constitute stops to preventaccidental disengagement. A lock nut 45 may also be used if desired.

The rod 29 is provided near its lower end with a collar 3S serving toform a lid for a cylindrical cage or gasket 39 which is fitted on thelower end of the rod, the bottom member 40 of said cage being aperturedfor the passage of the lower extremity of the rod which is provided witha transversely eX- tending key 4l for the purpose of maintain ing theparts in assembled relation. rThis cage may be filled with grain orother feed to attract the fovfis that are to be fed.

1n the operation of this device, the hopper is supplied with feed, suchas grain, cracked corn, meal or the like, the contents being protectedby the lid 19. The deflector 32 is adjusted to a suitable distancebeneath the mouth or outlet of the hopper, this being readily effectedby first bending the spring to disengage the ends thereof from thenotches 34, after which the deflector may be rotated until the desiredadjustment has been reached, after which the ends of the spring will beagain placed in engagement with the notches. Accidental displacement ofthe defiector will thus be positively prevented. The fowls, by peckingat the bait cage will vibrate the rod 29, thus causing the upper end ofsaid rod to agitate that portion of the feed which has leaked throughthe apertures 26 of the diaphragm 25, the purpose of the latter being tosupport the superposed feed material and to prevent its escaping toorapidly, thereby choking the lower end of the hopper and preventingvibratory movement of the rod 29, thus defeating the purposes of theinvention. As

the feed material escapes through the mouth 17 it drops on the upperfiat surface of the deflector and is thence shaken over the slopinginclined sides of the deflector and scattered over a wide area. rl`hedepending vflange 1S which surrounds the flat top portion of thedeflector will effectually prevent sparrows and other predatory birdsfrom alighting on the deiiector and stealing the food. |The bait cageisl simple in construction and permits the contents to be renewed at anytime with little trouble.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is l In adevice of the class described, a feed hopper having a constrictedoutlet, a vibratory member suspended within the hopper and extendingthrough the outlet, said vibratory member having a screw threadedportion, a frusto-conical deflector having threaded engagement with saidscrew threaded portion and provided at its lower end with diametricallyopposite notches, and acurved spring connected with the vibratory memberand terminally engaging said notches.

In testimony whereof l aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT S. GITT. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. MAYnns, VILLIAM F. WEAVER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

